Washington blocks democracy funds: Rubio slashes $2 million for Moldovan media
The US government has decided to cancel funding for 139 international programs, amounting to $214 million. This includes a $2 million grant to the Republic of Moldova. The decision, approved by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, took effect on Tuesday, April 15, according to The Washington Free Beacon, as reported by DW.
In the case of the Republic of Moldova, the “Expanded Newsroom Sustainability and Engagement” Program, which aimed to support independent newsrooms and increase civic engagement through professional journalism, was blocked. The project was funded through the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) within the State Department.
“These grants funded wasteful initiatives in areas such as diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI), and activities of NGOs that do not correspond to the priorities of the current administration,” reads an internal State Department memo, quoted by the American publication.
The decision also targets other international programs, including:
$5.2 million for “Media Diversity” in the United Kingdom, including the “Get the Trolls Out!” initiative,
$2.5 million for “Promoting Civic Engagement” in Uzbekistan,
$2.4 million for “Combating Disinformation through Creative Content” in Belarus,
$1.7 million for “Independent Media for Peace and Democracy” in Europe,
$1.7 million for “BeMediaWise” in Bulgaria,
other grants in Brazil, Tunisia, Mauritania and Lebanon, focused on workers’ rights and promoting gender equality.
@SecRubio continues to scrutinize @StateDept foreign assistance, today cancelling 139 wasteful grants worth $215M including:
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) April 15, 2025
- $5.2mm to “Media Diversity” for programs like “Get the Trolls Out!” - “an anti-disinformation program” in the United Kingdom
- $2.5mm for “advancing…
The cancellation of these grants comes amid a general reevaluation of foreign assistance programs, launched at the beginning of the year. This decision was influenced by the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, who suggested cutting funding considered inefficient or contradictory to US strategic interests.
We remind you that, on January 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order suspending, for 90 days, most of the United States' foreign assistance programs to reevaluate them to ensure that they are aligned with his foreign policy.
American aid to the Republic of Moldova was largely provided through USAID, which financially supported projects in our country targeting the wine sector, the energy sector, infrastructure, or education.
